EMBO considers openness and transparency to be key values in scientific research and publishing. Making research outputs accessible, transforming peer review into a transparent process and sharing scientific knowledge openly benefits researchers as well as decision-makers and enhances scientific progress. EMBO is involved in shaping Open Science by actively working with scientists and by developing technologies and standards that serve researchers.

Policy work on Open Science

EMBO conducts policy work to identify real and potential obstacles to researchers fully participating in Open Science, defines options for decision-makers, and develops tools that contribute to eliminate those obstacles. Activities in this area include:

Policy workshop on Generative AI and Foundation Models in the Life Sciences – Landscape, Limits, Opportunities and Concerns, in Heidelberg, 8-9 February 2024

Recognizing Preprint Peer Review – A workshop co-hosted by HHMI, ASAPbio and EMBO, 1-2 December 2022

The Policy team was a member the Open Science task force of the Initiative for Science in Europe, which published the report “Centrality of researchers in reforming research assessment – Routes to improve research by aligning rewards with Open Science practices” in February 2022.

The Policy team was a member of the Stakeholder Forum of the EC-funded project ROSiE – Fostering Responsible Open Science in Europe.

Developing tools for Open Science

EMBO is committed to improving access to knowledge and its effective sharing. To facilitate the adoption and the practice of Open Science, EMBO is implementing tools for finding and disseminating information and knowledge.

EMBO endorses the principles of Open Access publishing and FAIR data. Through the work of the EMBO Press journals, improving transparency, efficiency and objectivity of peer review is a major focus.

Projects at the interface of Open Science and publishing include:

Improving data sharing, discoverability and reproducibility

Review Commons
Addressing efficiency and speed of sharing information and publishing, advancing preprints

Early Evidence Base
Discover and cite reviewed preprintsP